Micro-technologically manufactured beam deflection mirrors, so-called MEMS scanners, can be applied to a multitude of applications, such as laser projection displays, barcode scanners, microscopes, OCT endoscopes, LIDAR scanners, imaging spectrometers and others. The beam deflection mirrors which are designed as microactuators, for example, comprise an oscillation body which is designed as a mirror and which is suspended in a chip frame in an oscillatory manner via one or more spring elements. The chip frame thereby can be closed at one side, wherein the mirror plate and the spring elements are arranged in a cavity. The chip frame however can also be encapsulated on both sides with a glass cover.
Such micromirror systems or arrangements or beam deflection mirrors usually have very low moments of inertia which permit such miniaturised beam deflection systems to achieve very high scan speeds of up to 100 kHz. Adequately large deflection angles can be produced by way of an operation in resonance, despite very limited drive forces. This advantage is particularly useful in display technology.
However, there are applications, in which MEMS scanners or microactuators are not used and preference is given to conventionally manufactured galvanometer scanners.